Adriano Mantelli

Adriano Mantelli (13 February 1913 – 6 May 1995)[1] was an Italian aircraft designer who designed the Alaparma Baldo.

Adriano Mantelli
Born
Sottotenente Adriano Mantelli

13 February 1913
Cortile San Marino
Died6 May 1995(1995-05-06) (aged 82)
Florence, Italy
NationalityItalian
EducationRegio Istituto d'Arte Paolo Toschi, Parma
Known forAircraft Design

Early life

In 1929 Mantelli competed in flying competitions with aircraft that were self designed and built. In 1931 he started designing gliders.[1]

In the summer of 1936, Adriano Mantelli was the leading Italian fighter pilot in the Spanish Civil War serving in the Regia Aeronautica. Mantelli shot down a Dewoitine piloted by British pilot Edward Hillman. Flying under the alias "Arrighi",[2] he would later share the title for highest scoring Ace with Mario Bonzano at fifteen victories.[3]

In 1945 Mantelli designed the AM-6 twin boomed pusher aircraft derived from previous glider designs.[4] Mantelli co-founded the company Alaparma with Livio Agostini to produce the AM-6, and later the AM-8 and AM-10 aircraft.[5]

In 1951 Mantelli designed and built two gliders, the AM-10 and AM-12 "Albatross", in Buenos Aires, Argentina[6] In 1954, Mantelli set an Italian record for altitude in a glider in a two-seat CVV-6 Canguro glider.[7]

Mantelli received the FAI Louis Blériot Medal in 1962, and 1964.[8] Mantelli reached the rank of General.[9]

He died in 1995 while waiting for a train at Firenze Santa Maria Novella railway station.[1]

References
  1. Alfredo Logoluso (2010). Fiat CR.32 Aces of the Spanish Civil War. Osprey Publishing. pp. 19–20, 87. ISBN 978-1-84603-983-6.
  2. Christopher F. Shores. Spanish Civil War air forces.
  3. William Yenne, Bill Yenne. Aces true stories of victory and valor in the skies of World War II.
  4. RW Simpson. Airlife's general aviation: a guide to postwar general aviation manufacturers and their aircraft.
  5. David Mondey (1978). The complete illustrated encyclopedia of the world's aircraft.
  6. American Aviation Historical Society. AAHS Journal. 13.CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  7. Aeroplane and Commercial Aviation News. 86. 1954.CS1 maint: untitled periodical (link)
  8. "FAI awards". Archived from the original on 2011-05-18. Retrieved 3 Jan 2011.
  9. David J. Mitchell. The Spanish Civil War: based on the television series.
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